Community constructs, completes road themselves

NORTH Waghi’s Kulamp community in Jiwaka took it upon themselves to construct and complete a 6km road.
“Our determination, sacrifices and strength have put to rest the days of negotiating long-distance walks under the scorching heat or heavy rain with bag loads that inflicted severe back pains for villagers,” community spokesman Melex Bosip said.
“We will now be transporting coffee beans, vegetables and other garden produce to the nearest roadside at Dumbola before heading to Banz and return home with cash and store goods on trucks or PMV buses.
“A simple initiative to do something for ourselves is now paying off in a big way.
“I have nothing but praise for our community that never gave up.
“Road is always funded by politicians or companies but our people have shown that they can do it on their own.
“We never wanted to wait with expectation.
Waiting takes ages, so with self-belief, we started building the road,” Bosip said.
The road stretches from Dumbola in the north to Waghi River in the south where clearance has taken years to complete.
Bosip said the remaining portion of the road was cleared in January last year. “We hired chain saws to fell big trees but cars could not travel because there were three kinds of high grounds that needed clearance,” he said.

Melex Bosip standing beside the newly-constructed community initiated Dumbola-Kulamp road.